Szerlag cited a five-page paper which Daniels read during a city council meeting on Jan. 9.

In that paper, which Daniels "read in to public record so that the citizens of Troy, Michigan will have this information available to them for all time," Daniels wrote the following sentence: "I must conclude that I have no confidence in our city manager's ability to continue to perform the duties granted him in this position."

Daniels' letter was against the Troy Transit Center, which was approved during a city council meeting last week -- one day after the date on Szerlag's response letter.

In the response letter, Szerlag attacks Daniels' letter paragraph by paragraph, and then refutes her summary line by line.

Daniels said the project's drop dead date had passed, possibly exposing the city to "financial risk of missing the completion date."

Szerlag wrote that the Dec. 19 drop dead date was required to meet a Federal Rail Administration time limit required to open the transit center by Oct. 1, 2013. That deadline can no longer be met, but the FRA "has indicated that they would consider any reasonable request for an extension."

Daniels states that the project has been discussed for more than a decade and has been voted down. "It is wasteful and unnecessary," she wrote.

Szerlag responds: "The project has been supported for over 10 years by multiple councils, planning commissions, the Futures Study and new Master Zoning plan."

Daniels also accused city staffers of opening her mail delivered to City Hall. "That is reprehensible and unforgivable," she wrote.

Szerlag said it is common practice for employees to open mail addressed to a public figure.

"Mail received at City Hall, a public building, addressed to the mayor, a public figure, is not private mail unless it is specifically marked 'private/personal and confidential.'"

The mail is opened "to avoid the interruption of business" and "has been standard procedure for decades, without adversity or complaint from any mayor," Szerlag wrote.

"Every department head ... expects departmental staff to open mail addressed to them, unless marked confidential, in order to prevent interruption of business/missing deadlines.'"

After voicing her concern, Daniels' mail is no longer opened by city staff, according to Szerlag.